What a wonderful and fast moving New Year thus far - can you believe it's already February!? Time is just another daily reminder to really savor the moments, soak up the good stuff and start (or continue to) explore the bucket list. Two months ago, I got to exercise my bucket list and check off so many amazing things in PARIS!!! This has been a long awaited dream for me, and everything leading up to the moment we booked our flights to our return home (and even today as I look back at our memories) has been so incredible. It's still like a dream. All I can say is, Paris is so much more magnificent when you personally see it, touch it, smell it, feel it, taste it, imagine it and live it in your own journey. Moreover, I am so grateful I had the chance to experience it - especially with one of the most precious persons in my life, my amazing husband, Thay.
I don't know if Thay was just in a good mood that day he surprised me with, "Let's go to Paris," or maybe he just felt that we really needed a break from all the hard work and upcoming stress of closing down our portrait studio. Perhaps, he finally gave in because I was extremely persistent on traveling to the city of romance. We would always joke about the day we go to Paris, would be the day we would try for another child. So, long story short - the surprise happened on my birthday. Our birthdays are a week apart in November and since this was the first time (in 17 years) we didn't get to spend it together, we decided to take this spontaneous trip to celebrate in Paris, France. We literally decided on which week to travel and booked our flights in less than 30 days. Amazingly, tickets weren't too outrageous and December has to be one of the prettiest times of the year in Paris. This was our first time traveling abroad to Europe so we were super excited about the plane experience. To our surprise, the flight wasn't that long. It only took one connecting flight to DC and then a 7 hour non-stop red eye to Charles de Gaulle Airport.
The moment we set foot into Charles de Gaulle and strolled towards custom and baggage - all you can see are walls and ceilings covered with gorgeous modern interior decor with lines of sophisticated luxury boutiques and designer stores. Thay had to remind me that we didn't come to Paris to shop. LOL!
Once we collected our baggages, it was pretty easy to find transportation. There are several English speaking security officers that direct the crowd to the outdoor area where you can either take the train or cab to the city. We decided to take a cab which was about a 30 - 40 minute ride and costed a flat 62 euros. The cab ride gave us the opportunity to sight see some trademarks along the highway. Our driver was friendly but only accepted cash which we found out at the end of the ride. Good thing we did some cash exchange at our airport. We later learned that using the UBER service would of been half the price. I highly recommend using UBER for all your short and long distant local rides! Which is exactly what we did for the remainder of the trip.
Our first stop was to drop off our luggages so we can start exploring. With the 6 hour time zone change, we arrived to Paris around 8 am and was able to do an early check in. When researching Paris hotels, we weren't sure about where to stay, but we were so glad we ended choosing HOTEL NAPOLEAN PARIS on Friedland Avenue. It is the perfect location to everything. Walking distance to the Champs Elysees strip of restaurants and shopping district which stays lively day and night and feels super safe. We stayed in the Junior Suite and our third floor balcony view overlooked Friedland Avenue and the famous Arc de Triomphe. We loved the beautiful natural light that added to the quaint vintage feel of our French living quarters for the week! The full bathroom and a separate guest bathroom are fully updated with a clean, modern look. We didn't have time to enjoy the bathtub but loved waking up to the ceiling shower head shower.
I always like to unpack immediately and hang up my clothes. We were planning an Eiffel Tower photo shoot the next morning so I had to hang my red dress in the bathroom hoping that the shower steam will straighten out the wrinkles from being squeezed into the luggage. I didn't have enough room to pack a steamer but I do recommend it if you are planning to wear a nice gown during your stay. I didn't bother to ask the Concierge either but they can probably accommodate to your steaming needs. I also like to take out my makeup stash and inspect it to make sure they in good condition. Luckily they all arrived in perfect condition - thanks to heavy duty ziploc bags, bubble wrap and cling wrap! Also, there are outlet adapters / converters you can pick up from the front desk.
Once we got situated and fully charged our phones, we had to step outside to enjoy the fresh French air and this beautiful city! We spotted a cafe across the street and decided to start our morning there. The cafe was small and seating was closely set up. They seemed to be quite busy for a Thursday morning. I didn't see much food on the small little round tables, instead only wine glasses, sparkling water jars and coffee mugs. Which made me wonder, are their food any good? LOL! Yes, indeed! The food was delicious. I ordered an organic fish burger with fries with a cappuccino and wine while the hubbie kept it simple with coffee and milk. The cappuccino blew my mind! It was one of the best I've had. That started my week's craze for French Cappuccinos - and literally anywhere that serves cappuccino is just as delicious! The entire meal cost us about 55 euros (the burger was 20 euros!)
After our quick eat, we walked to the end of the block and saw the craziest traffic circle. Imagine a ten lane round-about with cars coming from all directions. The Arc de Triomphe stands in the middle of about 10 roads (or it seems like it) that meet at this intersection. There are no traffic lights or officer directing traffic. Our cab driver said it's the most dangerous intersection because everyone just fights for the road and the one who is more daring always win. But, everyone yields to each other too which works out magically and throughout the entire time we had to cross this intersection to reach our hotel, we didn't see any accidents! I guess French drivers have it figured out somehow.
Since we could not cross over the crazy traffic circle, we took an underground route to the other side. In that tunnel is also the entrance to climb up and view the overlook from the top of the Arc de Triomphe. There were some local artists selling acrylic / oil paintings and there is where we made our first souvenir purchase. I absolutely love art and supporting artists. I can't wait to mount and frame up these beautiful hand painted Paris inspired artwork.
We strolled a few more blocks to sight see but realized that all the hype was on the other side. So we headed back to the hotel to drop off our souvenirs and geared up for more walking down the Champs Elysees district. I'm so glad I packed a pair of walking shoes! Nightfall temperature during winter season also drops to about 30 degrees (or lower) so definitely pack a warm winter coat, gloves, hats and scarves if you want to stay warm.
The moment you walk to the strip, you see flashing Christmas lights that decorate the street, trees, and lamp posts. The festive lights extend on and on miles away and lead into the Villages de Noel which is a 30 day festival set up of over 200 Christmas eatery and gift markets, and carnival . On the strip, designer stores like Tiffany's, Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade, to stores like Zara and Sephora, gleem in bright inviting storefront light. Boutiques stay open until 10 pm while most restaurants stay open until the last table leaves. The Villages de Noel usually closes around 11 pm so it is the perfect place to enjoy an amusing and tasty walk!
The Champs Elysees area definitely feels safe day or night because there are so many tourists. We never felt like we would get pick pocketed although you do see signs everywhere to beware of pocket pickers.
One thing I did not expect was seeing a lot of homeless people. It was kind of sad because there would be an entire family with small children sleeping out in the cold. Some looked like migrants and others had pets with them. They are not aggressive but once you give a coin to a homeless, the other homeless follows you. I couldn't help it but give a few 1 euro coins to a young boy. I said to myself that I'll give them my leftover food from the next night but I seem to finish all my food every time we dine out because the food is just so good.
Before hitting the Villages de Noel, we had to stop at Brioche Doree for some chocolate croissants! They can heat it up for that extra goodness! I later saw the fruit covered waffles at one of the eateries at the Villages de Noel. By that time I was so stuffed already, but it sure was eye candy!
I've never seen a larger wok than this one! What a great idea to slow cook while giving a pretty and yummy looking presentation! It was also sweet heaven! Macaroons in every flavor, churros, rum cake and chocolate on a stick!
We ended up just snacking off the street food and skipped out on dinner! The chicken gyro was so fulfilling! They also have hot wine - which was my first time trying and loved it! It was just so soothing on a cold Paris night! We sure went back for more every night!
Our wonderful first night ended in the ginormous Big Wheel - this is the world's largest Ferris wheel which stands 70 meters wide! It was definitely a breath-taking view of the Eiffel tower and the city on the tippy top! Someone gets silly when we are high off the ground! Good thing it only went around 2 times.
DAY 2
I woke up super early to pamper myself with a Paris Makeover! Today was our photo shoot so all the beauty details had to be perfect. It has always been my dream to have a romantic photograph with the Eiffel Tower as our backdrop. What is also in my bucket list is to photograph a wedding and engagement session in Paris! This beautiful city is truly a photographer's paradise. Every nook and corner is a stunning backdrop for amazing pictures. I just know that I couldn't leave Paris without getting some professional pictures made. Usually, Thay would be the frugal one and suggest us to set our own shots with the wireless clicker, but I went ahead and booked the photo shoot with the intention that it will be something fun for us to remember by. To my surprise, he enjoyed the session! We are usually behind the camera and it sure felt awkward at times to be in front of it! Nonetheless, we are so thrilled we did the shoot. The pictures turned out beautiful!
We met our photographer, Alexandre, around 9 am that cold Friday morning. I was wearing a custom designed off the shoulder high low dress too so I practically had goose bumps throughout the session. Alex suggested that we meet at that time so there wouldn't be as much tourists - which was a great idea because we were able to shoot comfortably without an audience in front or behind us. With the direction of the sunrise, Alex also suggested that we meet at Bir Hakiem Bridge so we can get a nice shot of the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately, that day was a bit foggy so we didn't get much natural hair light in the captures but the overcast was a beautiful soft light.
After we finished our shoot, of course we had to take some of our own shots. The bridge and Parisian buildings yield such a soft color palette for our portrait collection.
We decided to stroll down the corner and grab some breakfast and charge our phones. We loved that our Morphie Powerstation XXL portable USB charger instantly charges our phones. By the time we finished our yummy breakfast, our phones were ready to go! I highly recommend investing in this device - especially if you won't have access to an outlet and love talking selfies and checking up on your social media. We will definitely be taking this on all of our trips! Oh - and get a selfie stick! Best thing ever!
We stopped at this cute cafe called Iolanda Paris located on Quai Branly. We were able to sit out in the heated terrace which made sipping on my cappuccino so much more delightful. Thay ordered the mushroom, cheese and green pepper omelet (Omellete Champignons) while I got the Spaghetti Bolognese with Garlic Bread. Seriously, we thought all omelets and pasta was going to be this delicious but no one was able to top this place! This meal cost about 30 - 40 euros.
We were then going to call UBER to take us back to the hotel but decided to just change into my booties and walk to the Eiffel Tower. I didn't really want to walk in my dress because it had a floor length train but I guess when you're on vacation, you just have to suck it up and enjoy the spontaneous moment! People thought I was a little over dressed and crazy but, hey - we're in Paris, right? LOL!
Here's Thay Pokemon Master. He caught some pretty cool Pokemon!
Here's Thay doing his 007 poses. We see beauty in the most random places - like this dead end street that lead to the Eiffel Tower. We also loved the color tones of this penthouse complex with a gated garden terrace. How wonderful it would be to have a place with the beautiful Eiffel Tower as the view?
Us at the base of the Eiffel Tower. Yes, someone pinch me! I couldn't believe this was happening! To our surprise the line was super fast to admit into the tower area. There were two security lines to check your bags and scan you down. Once you pass security, you can explore the base, climb up the tower using stairs or line up to purchase tickets to ride the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Tickets to ride the elevator were 11 euros. We probably stood in line for about 45 minutes but since it was so cold, it felt like forever!
The tower has two levels on the top where you can walk around and sight see the beautiful panoramic view of Paris and its monuments. The lower level had restrooms and a refreshment area along with souvenir shops. We started on the top level. The clarity was foggy but we still enjoyed the serene view. The soft over cast also create some of the most gorgeous selfies and portrait pictures.
After we left the Eiffel Tower, the stunning building across the street called the Palais de Chaillot was a place we had to see. We strolled across the street passing through a small amusement park with the vintage merry-go-round and crossed a bridge of street vendors. One of them was selling wooden letters choo choo trains. We just had to get it for our little buddy since he is so into trains and vehicles. It was super cute and was just 8 euros. Be careful though, once you give in and purchase something, all the other vendors also target you to get their merchandise.
Once night falls, it gets extremely cold. We thought we could find our way back to the hotel by using the GPS but got lost strolling down some city streets and later decided to go inside a cafe for a cappuccino while we wait for the UBER. Yes, it's always UBER to the rescue - and they are super fast too.
We finally made it to our room and rested a little before heading out again for dinner on the Champs Elysees strip. We decided to go to Cafe George V because the server was very welcoming and greeted us with confidence while we were reviewing their menu at the door. I always like to ask for the server's recommendations so he ordered me a fish entree (which he kindly de-boned for me) and Thay went for steak and eggs. The potato layered cake that came as his side was divine! Dinner's total was about 100 euros.
After our first two days in Paris, we estimated that brunch would typically cost us 50 euros and dinner at 100 euros. I can say it was a pretty accurate estimation, so heads up in case you are a foodie and love to explore beyond comfort food!
After dinner, we walked off the calories to go drink some hot wine at the Villages de Noel. Besides the pretty Christmas lights, we loved window shopping as we pass by the strip of boutiques.
We also love looking at hand crafted art and took some of these hand painted Russian nestling dolls home for our girls.
Day 3 started out with selfies in the beautiful natural light and a quick trip to the corner pharmacie store for some eye drops. We passed by these stellar beasts parked outside of Louis Vuitton. They were available for a daily or hourly lease. Too bad we didn't have our European driver's license!
From there, we got an UBER and enjoyed a 25 minute drive to the Chateau de Versailles. This estate truly takes your breath away when you arrive at the golden gates. There entrance fee to tour the gardens and groves is free but to enter the Palace and Marie Antoinette's Palace costs 2o euros.
The Chateau is remarkable! It is totally worth the time to walk through. We only had a few hours to tour because they closed by sunset so we literally breezed through the palace. This is definitely a place where you will need all day to explore (and take pictures). It is truly heaven for photographers and a great place to find interior decor ideas too.
The gardens occupy majority of the Palace grounds. We were hoping to rent bikes and enjoy a full day of biking but rentals were closed for the season so we rented an electric golf cart instead. A totally great idea for the walk back is a long and cold one. Rental was 30 euros per hour with the option to add additional hours if you go over the initial rental time. We were restricted from using the golf cart at certain areas so we had to walk for a portion of the sight seeing to view the country side and back of Marie Antoinette's hamlet (which we found out was closed for the season). Nonetheless, it was a nice stroll with lots of local joggers and walkers.
One cool thing about the golf cart was it would stop automatically if you were off the designated route. It also has a GPS enabled auto guide so when the golf cart passes through a specific area or landmark, an informative summary would be provided automatically with a nice collection of baroque style music.
We UBERed back to the hotel and was starving since we didn't get to break for lunch! The evening ended up with a light hearty dinner and street food at the Villages de Noel. We enjoyed steak and white sausages with sprinkles of truffle mushroom cooked on the grill as we waited. All we needed was some rice! I also had a Nutella crepe. So delicious when it's freshly made!
Day 4 happened to be the first Sunday of the month so it was free admission at the Musee du Louvre. (General admission is 15 euros) The lines were pretty long but moved as promptly as it could since they check all bags and scanned everyone at the entrance. We waited for about an hour and luckily the sun was bright to keep us somewhat warm. The architecture around the Louvre pyramid also kept my eyes busy as I counted the number of statues along the balcony and roof top of the estate.
Yes, what was I thinking trying to look pretty in a skirt just to meet Mona Lisa. LOL! Good thing majority of the sight seeing was indoors!
Once you get inside the pyramid, it's a mad house. We honestly did not know where to start! We toured the Denon wing where majority of the paintings were. There were painting collections from France, Spain, Northern Europe, Italy and Great Britain. This was also where Mona Lisa was lived so it was very crowded.
One of my favorite pieces from the Louvre is the Winged Victory of Samothrace. This graceful sculpture sits beautifully on top of a staircase leading to the grand hall. Almost everyone that passed by had to stop and take a snapshot of this beauty. I would love a statue like this in my private courtyard someday!
And here is Mona Lisa! To my surprise, photography was allowed so I had to wait my turn to take a selfie with this mystery lady. I couldn't gaze at her for too long when I reached the front line, so I had to enjoy her beauty from the back of the room. She is actually smaller than I envisioned, but remarkable to finally see and check off my bucket list!
I can stand at that one spot and look at paintings all day. There were so much details in this ginormous painting. Such incredible creativity and talent.
These ceilings, though! They are truly a work of art!
A few snapshots with this beautiful architecture before we call it a night. I highly recommend this venue for any kind of photo shoot!
Our evening ended at a mom and pop Chinese restaurant called Elysees Mandarin on Paris 8e Arrondissement 23 rue Washington. We were craving some Asian food (mainly rice) so decided to explore the Asian cuisine of Paris. Our original plan was to go to Miss Ko on 49 avenue George V but didn't realize we had to make reservations. So, we remembered seeing a Chinese place closeby from the previous UBER ride passing through the small roads. It was a short walked down a few blocks and as the streets get quieter from the main tourist traffic, there it was, their sign in neon lights. The owner is an older Asian couple who were also our servers. They spoke fluent English and were very interested in learning about where we were from.
The food was good but the vibes of the owners was disturbing. Thay ordered a House Special Fried Rice with Basil Beef and 2 Tshingtao's. I ordered a bowl of Tom Yum soup, Steamed ginger Flounder and a fresh cut mango for dessert. Our bill came out to 150 euros - which 70 euros of it was the fish. I guess I've never had a fish that highly priced before so note to self, and anyone who plans to dine there, ask for the market price before ordering.
Day 5 in Paris was spent in some of the most serene cathedrals! We started the earlier part of the day at the Notre Dame. I was surprised they allowed photography in this calming sanctuary. Entrance was free and donations were accepted to light the tea lights or candles.
The sky high ceilings are astonishing! Lighting was dim everywhere else but the perfect amount of light gleamed through the stained glass windows. Guests seated in the pews and prayed while tourists circled the cathedral walls to learn more about the history of the Notre Dame.
This vintage wooden door is impeccable. Now that's a grande entrance!
Lunch time! We stopped across the street at Cafe Aux Tours De Notre Dame to warm up and charge our phones. Most of the cafes allow walk-ins so it's so convenient. The French Onion soup was on point! And the Salmon Penne was delicious with a light creamy sauce. Sauces in Paris is definitely lighter compared to the states. Thay ordered another Omelet this time with ham, cheese and avocado. It was good but still didn't compare to the first one we had near the Eiffel Tower. We finishhed our lunch with a cup of coffee, cappuccino and one of the cafe's best desserts - Tarte Tatin Maison et Chantilly which is a homemade apple tart pie. Now that everything has recharged, we were ready to our next destination.
The moment the UBER pulled up to La Basilique De Sacre Coeur De Monmarte, our jaws dropped! It looked like a white castle because of it's majestic dome shaped towers. It also sat on the highest hill in Monmarte. The Romano-Byzantine style interior architecture inside this place of prayer gives this “house of God” enchanting vibes of peace and harmony. Admission was free to visit the public areas and just that walk through was magical enough. There are sight seeing tickets for a full tour but we decided to do more sight seeing in the city below.
This is absolutely, hands down, the BEST location to watch the Parisian sunset. There, you will see a magnificent panoramic view of Paris including Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Pantheon, the Opera house, Montparnasse Tower and the Pompidou Centre. People gathered everywhere and sat along the steps waiting for the beautiful array of fading colors. There were even musicians that performed acoustic numbers for our enjoyment. There was even one guy that was secretly selling beer out of this back pack to the audience.
We arrived about 2 hours before sunset and the Parisian selfie lighting was so pristine! I couldn't help myself! These students from a renowned videography school noticed me taking tons of selfies (because only 1 out of every 50 shots looks on point, right? LOL) They asked if they could interview me about taking selfies and I agreed to help. After a quick interview, they also filmed me taking some selfies. Most awkward feeling ever when you are being watched while taking selfies. One random lady also stopped we after the students left and asked if she could take a selfie with me which made me feel humbly privileged for a second there. She probably thought I was famous, little did she know I was just a giddy girl living her dream moments in Paris!
Thay loved shooting some candids and portraits of me by the Sacre Coeur. I seriously think it was the wig that made it more interesting! LOL! We found some amazing backdrops on the side of the cathedral where there was a red wooden door. It was quiet in that side street so we were able to have a comfortable session without too many people looking at me. The dimming sunset lighting also gave enough soft lighting to capture the essence of the brick paved street and the wash of the beautiful white stone architecture.
Once the lighting faded, we went inside the cathedral. No photography was allowed so we just walked around and enjoyed the peace and harmony. By the time we finished, the moon was sparkling high. The city lights below was so beautiful, we just had to go sight seeing down there.
There were no public restrooms in the cathedral so we had to pay 1 euro to use a convenience store's restroom. This is how the female wash room looked like. There was an attendant at all times so it was pretty well maintained.
We took a $4/person trolley on a zip line called the Funiculaire, from the cathedral to the city below called Monmarte. You need a standard métro ticket for the journey but there was a guy selling it so we didn't have to use the pay station. I thought it would be a longer ride but it only takes about a minute. It is a convenient way to get on at the bottom and get off at the top or vice versa. There is also a 270 step staircase that you can use if you wanted to enjoy a romantic stroll. We probably would of taken the steps if there was still daylight. Walking up is obviously more arduous, but not that hard and a good work out!
As soon as we got out of the Funiculaire, there were some bracelet guys who were aggressive at selling their made on the spot bracelets. Out of all the places we've toured, only that area gave us bad vibes about pocket pickers. Luckily there were some police officers around so we felt a little at ease. Remember to take the normal precautions with your possessions and don't engage with anyone trying to sell you things you don't want. Once you buy something, everyone else selling something will approach you.
Once we strolled pass to the boutique streets, it felt more comfortable to browse since the street lights were bright and there were a lot of other tourists around. The collection of boutiques was a mix of souvenir stores as well as clothing stores and gourmet chocolate and macaroon sweet shops.
Monmarte's night life was full of traffic and locals walking around. It seemed to be the more urban part of Paris. We tried looking for a cafe or restaurant but most of the eateries there were fast food like Quick Burger so we decided to take an UBER back to the Champs Elysees area.
We had a delicious dinner at this cute small place called Asian + Goosushi located on Rue Washington near Champs Elysees. When you walk in, it is not the typical cafe because the menu of the day is prepared in advance and you had to select from what they have already prepared. Anything off the set menu wouldn't be available. You can order to go as a boxed dinner or they warm everything up so you can enjoy right away in their seating area. Since it was late, we weren't able to get any sushi but did get to try beef with onions, French style chicken cutlets in sauce, duck cutlets in sauce, dumplings, mini crispy eggrolls, fried rice, friend noodles and logan for dessert. All of this came with 2 bottled drinks for only 25 euros! We wish we had found this place earlier!
That evening, I decided to google a restaurant that would give us the "Old Paris" experience. I felt most of the restaurants on Champs Elysees were modernized to accommodate tourists. Plus the following day it would be our last day in Paris. I found this place called Le Petite Rose des Sables located about 15 minutes outside of the Arc de Triomphe area. The reviews are amazing and it was truly the reviews that made my mind! Here's one review that won me over:
"Christian and Susan, husband and wife co-owners, will provide a delightful culinary experience like no other you will find in Paris. The food is delicious and inexpensive, the portions are generous, and the hospitality is heartwarming. Be prepared for tight quarters - the room only contains six or seven tables - but that only adds to the charm. You will feel as though Susan is welcoming you into her kitchen while Christian prepares his tasty beef bourguignon or roasted chicken. As you are filling your stomach and enjoying the friendly, lively conversation (I speak just a little French and Susan speaks just a little English - but smiles and laughter were still in abundance), you will have to constantly remind yourself that you are on a bustling Paris street, and not on a hill in the French countryside. If you begin your time with Susan trying to speak just a little bit of French, you will be off to an amazing, unforgettable meal."
- Steve C. from Charlotte NC
Day 6 arrived and our first destination was Le Petite Rose des Sables for lunch. Without making a reservation, we were quite lucky to be seated right away. If they are booked out, the restaurant simply doesn't have any room for you to wait inside so definitely make sure you plan in advance and make a reservation! The quaint petite ristorante was definitely very tight with only 4 small tables suitable for only 2 people per table. We got one of the best seats in the house by the back wall which gave us enough elbow and chair moving room. The atmosphere was like going to Grandma's house, decor mainly of family portraits and grannie's style of accent pieces. Luckily there was an English speaking young man who was a local diner and seemed to be good friends with the owners. Susan spoke no English but was a delightful host and served all the guests while her 71 year old husband, Christian was the chef. The young man did some of the translation for us so it was pretty easy going once we placed our orders. We were served promptly with a glass of Sangria and water with a plate of olive, pistachios and crackers.
Thay ordered the Beef Bourguignon with pasta and I got the homemade lasagna with potatoes. Both entrees came with salad and a basket of baquettes. The sangria was so good we ended up getting a carafe of it. We opted out of dessert since we were so stuffed! Our bill was around 60 euros. Susan gave us each a shot of her special brew liquor infused with fruits. It gave me a buzz and was quite delicious! She also gifted me with a Paris scarf and asked Thay to choose from a basket of Eiffel Tower key chains. We finally got to meet Christian before we left and even took pictures with the sweet chef. Susan insisted on taking a pic of us too. We left the restaurant feeling loved, just like how your own Grandma and Grandpa would have made us feel.
We decided to tour the area before calling UBER to pick us up.
There are so many pigeons in the city! Susan gave me a packaged sweet biscuit that I slipped in my coat pocket and as soon as I opened it, all these birds came swarming to my hand. It was fun and intimidating at the same time.
We strolled down the streets and found these buildings near Musee Grevin that consist of little gallerias. It was very quiet and fun to walk through. There were antique toy stores. One store had all the little pieces you can think of to build out a toy house. Other interesting places were vintage book stores and art galleries.
I'm so in love with the Parisian architecture.
We stopped at Amorino for some fresh gelato. They had too many flavors we liked so the friendly associate recommended that we get the rose cone where we can choose as many flavors as we wanted! We loved that idea and got basil lemon, chocolate, yogurt, vanilla and raspberry. Thay loved the basil lemon. I loved everything!
There are some public bathrooms in the streets of Paris but require 1 euro to use. What's cool about these facilities is that they auto clean and sanitize after eat use. After using, it takes about 30 minutes for the cleaning process. The floors are even cleaned too. I didn't use the public toilettes but Thay tried them and he said it was decent.
We continued walking through rush hour and ended up at the Louvre where we were able to catch this beautiful sunset with the Eiffel Tower. We crossed the bridge and finally called an UBER to pick us up so we can freshen up for our dinner date.
My friend, Penni and her boyfriend had recently visited Paris too and she shared a few places they enjoyed. One of them was a restaurant with the most beautiful Eiffel Tower view called Les Ombres. It is definitely one of those places you can dress up a little fancier. We went semi casual and still fit in. The service is excellent and everyone spoke English. Every table in this restaurant has a great view of the Eiffel Tower. The terrace has the best seats in the house but was closed due to the cold weather. We were still able to go out there to take some selfies.
We literally arrived back to our hotel and asked our concierge to call Les Ombres to see if they still have any reservations left and to our surprise they had an availability at 7:30pm. This gave us enough time to freshen up and nap before catching the UBER.
To get to the Les Ombres restaurant, you would have to walk through a small courtyard and access the building elevators to get to the 5th floor. It was very dark but there are side walk lights that lit up the path. Once you get to the restaurant, you're greeted with a friendly hostess who takes your jacket and leads you to your table. The entire ceiling is also glass so it feels like you see the entire sky.
We started with rose champagne and also ordered some delicious cocktails. Macaroons were brought out with our drinks. These were the moistest macaroons we had in Paris!
Our starters were:
Tourte de canard et foie gras, salade d’hiver, copeau de châtaigne
(Duck and foie gras pie, winter salad, chestnut slice)
Riso de pâte, couteau, poulpe, écume de coquillage
(Pasta in risotto style, razor clam, octopus, shellfish foam)
The server pours the foam after the plate is placed on our table. It was definitely a different kind of starters for us, but we enjoyed the presentation and flavor! I liked the pasta best!
Our main courses were:
Epaule de cochon de lait, rougail de poireau et mangue, caramel soja
(Baby pork shoulder, mango and leek, soya caramel)
Dos de cabillaud, champignon crémeux, panais, câpre Liliput, jus de cresson
(Cod fish, creamy mushroom, parsnip, Liliput caper, watercress juice)
We like to share and try each other's entrees. The baby pork is slightly raw but oh so tender. They purposely made it that way. The mango and leeks are such a delicious combination! The cod fish did not disappoint either. The portions were just right so enjoy the french cuisine flavor and save some room for dessert!
And finally for dessert, we ordered:
Dacquoise coco, gelée passion, mousse coco, sorbet mangue
(Coconut dacquoise, passion fruit jelly, coconut mousse, mango sorbet)
Beautiful presentation and that mango sorbet was perfection! Pretty impressed with the bill at 200 euros. You really are paying for the atmosphere which we spent about 2 hours there and was the last couple to leave. We just wanted to enjoy our every last moment of Paris.
Leaving Paris was hard to do, but because of our 3 munchkins patiently waiting for our return, it was easier to leave because we had something to look forward to. That morning as we checked out of Hotel Napolean, and gathered our things for the UBER car, our new friend, Alex emailed me with our photo collection at the Eiffel Tower! He was so sweet to have it ready in such short timing and right before we left. It was the perfect way to end and remember our Paris trip.
For anyone that has dreamed of traveling to Paris, France, I say, "Just do it!" There will never be that perfect time and enough spending money and as much as we planned, we enjoyed the unexpected and spontaneous moments even more. Everything can always wait, but time doesn't. Sometimes you just have to put aside the excuses and spoil yourself. Going to Paris reminded us that we have to live more, laugh more and love even harder. For everyone that has followed my random posts on my social media, I thank you for letting me share this amazing journey with you. I hope it will help you consider things to explore (and eat) when you are planning your travels to beautiful Paris.
Special thanks to everyone who reached out to me and shared your Paris experience and recommendations, and especially Penni who shared all her bookmarks of places she explored while visiting this city of love. Our beautiful couple pictures at the Eiffel Tower was taken by Alexandre Schmecko from the Parisian Photographers. Definitely book a professional photo shoot there - you won't regret! And if you ever want to book a makeup artist and photographer who would photograph your love story from morning to dusk, send me a message! I would love to travel the world shooting your love stories.
And a super special thank you to my ninja photographer and amazing life partner and life coach, Thay Yang. Without your love of documenting our precious moments, we wouldn't have these beautiful captures and footage to reflect back on and share with our children.
As a promise to Thay, I agreed that we would try our luck while in Paris. Thay wouldn't hesitate to a house full of kids if I agree but because of my demanding career, I felt that 3 was just the right amount of loving madness. LOL. I would always joke with him that if we ever make another baby, it would be in Paris! Thay was so thrilled to hear the news and after 3 home pregnancy tests, I think it's safe to say that baby Paris will be arriving sometime in 2017! Now, if we were lucky enough to have twins that would be another bucket list checked off, but we'll see because anything is possible, so dream BIG!
